Riley's POV
The flickering light cast long shadows across the living room as I stepped out of my room, the silk of my nightdress whispering against my skin. Norman stood by the window, his back to me, his silhouette stark against the city lights. His posture was tense, his shoulders rigid, a stark contrast to his usual controlled composure. He looked… worried. Or was it just my imagination, fueled by days of his cold silence?
As the light fully illuminated him, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes – relief? He turned, his expression carefully neutral, but I saw it. That brief, almost imperceptible flash of worry before he composed himself. A subtle shift in his shoulders, a barely perceptible softening of his jaw. He was trying to hide it, to maintain his usual facade of impenetrabl
